


make you feel my love

by sapphicplatypus



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Love Languages, this is Extra Soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22690261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphicplatypus/pseuds/sapphicplatypus
Summary: An exploration of Alex and Maggie's relationship through the five love languages.
Relationships: Alex Danvers/Maggie Sawyer
Comments: 28
Kudos: 132
Collections: Secret Sanvers | A Sanvers Valentines Day Event





	make you feel my love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sawyerspen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sawyerspen/gifts).



> A collection of five ficlets, one for each of the five love languages: physical touch, words of affirmation, receiving gifts, quality time, and acts of service. I wanted this to be about the ways they express their love for each other before saying "I love you" for the first time, so everything is set before 2x19.
> 
> For my Secret Valentine sawyerspen! I hope you enjoy it, and Happy Valentine's Day!

**physical touch**

Alex had always loved Maggie’s hair.

Even when they first met, arguing over jurisdiction on the tarmac, Alex couldn’t help but notice the way the loose waves fell over her shoulders, deep brown with a golden, almost reddish tint to it in the light of the sun. 

As their friendship blossomed and they spent more and more time together, Alex had often found herself longing to reach out and touch her hair, to run her fingers through it and find out if it was as soft as it looked.

The first time she kissed her, impulsively pulling her towards her in the middle of the bar, she had gripped Maggie’s face in her hands, her fingertips brushing just slightly against her hair. Alex had leaned in for more, intent on sliding her fingers into those dark tresses the way she had fantasized about for weeks and kissing her until they were both breathless. But Maggie pulled away before she got the chance.

A few weeks later, Maggie had shown up at her door with pizza and beer and a confession, looking up at Alex like she was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, even though she was in her pajamas. Maggie had kissed her then, and Alex had been too stunned to react at first. She couldn’t believe it was really happening. After they broke apart, Alex had let her eyes roam over Maggie’s face, her eyes sparkling with joy and her dimples deeper than Alex had ever seen them. Then, finally, she reached up and ran her hands through Maggie’s hair, her fingers gently gliding through the soft curls that framed her face, before drawing her in for another kiss.

“What are you thinking about, Danvers?”

Maggie’s voice brought her out of her musings.

They were sitting together on Alex’s couch, one of Alex’s arms slung around Maggie’s shoulders while a movie played on the screen in front of them. Alex had been playing with the ends of her girlfriend’s hair, twirling the soft strands around her fingers, and her thoughts had drifted.

She felt a blush creeping up her cheeks at being caught. “Nothing.”

“I can tell you’re not paying attention to this movie.”

“No, no, I—I am, sorry.”

Maggie looked at her for a moment before shrugging and settling back against her side.

Alex moved her hand down to Maggie’s shoulder, suddenly self conscious. She didn’t want to have to explain to her girlfriend that she had been thinking about her hair and how much she loved touching it. There was no way to make that not sound creepy.

Alex willed herself to focus on the movie, but she could feel her thoughts beginning to spiral. Did she touch Maggie’s hair too much? Did Maggie think it was weird? Should she do it less?

They had been dating for a little over a month, but Alex still felt nervous that she was going to mess it all up. She kept her hand planted firmly against Maggie’s shoulder.

About halfway through the movie, she felt Maggie shift next to her.

“I’m gonna lay down,” she said softly.

“Okay.” Alex pressed a quick kiss to her temple before reaching for a pillow and laying it across her thighs. This was becoming somewhat of a routine for them.

Maggie nestled herself against the cushions, a quiet sigh escaping her lips as she rested her head on the pillow in Alex’s lap. Alex’s fingers twitched with the urge to run her fingers through her hair, but she kept her hands at her sides.

After a few minutes, Maggie looked up at her. “You okay?” she asked, concern in her eyes. 

“I…yeah, I’m fine.”

“Okay,” said Maggie, still sounding uncertain. “It’s just…” She dropped her gaze. “Maybe this is stupid, but you always play with my hair, and tonight you’re not doing it, so I just thought…”

“Oh, no, no! I’m sorry,” said Alex, her eyebrows jumping up in an apologetic expression. “I just, I thought that maybe it was weird that I’m always touching your hair and I was trying not to do it so much.”

Maggie looked equal parts relieved and confused. “Why would you think that?” she asked, sitting up so they were side by side.

Alex shrugged, her cheeks warming as she glanced down at her lap. “I’m just...nervous, I guess. This is all still so new to me and I don’t want to do something wrong.” 

“Hey.” Maggie’s voice was soft as she brought her hand to Alex’s chin, lifting her head so she could meet her eyes. “You’re not doing anything wrong, okay? I promise.”

Alex nodded, a little embarrassed. “Okay.”

“Seriously, Alex. If you were doing something I didn’t like, I would let you know.”

She nodded again.

“And besides…” It was Maggie’s turn to blush. “I really like it when you play with my hair.” 

“Really?”

Maggie smiled, her dimples appearing as she nodded. “Yeah.” Her smile slid into a sly grin. “You know I’ll never complain about you touching me, Danvers.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Mm-hmm,” Maggie hummed as she leaned in to kiss her.

Alex’s hands came up to rest briefly on Maggie’s jaw before slipping into her hair, and the noise Maggie made was more than enough to convince her.

They never saw the end of the movie.

  
  


**words of affirmation**

“Hey, babe,” Maggie called as she pushed open the door. “Sorry I’m late, I—”

She stopped abruptly, her eyes landing on Alex. Her eyes were red, the remnants of her mascara smudged underneath. She had been crying.

Maggie hurried forward, her steady hands coming to rest on Alex’s shoulders. “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked, keeping her voice gentle. “What happened?”

Alex cast a meaningful look at her phone, abandoned atop the kitchen counter. “My mother,” she said wryly.

Maggie winced sympathetically. “She called?”

Alex nodded.

“Here, come on, let’s sit down.” Maggie slid her hands down Alex’s arms to grab hold of her hands before leading her to the couch.

She sat down and opened her arms, a silent question in her eyes. Alex curled into her side immediately, wrapping her arms around Maggie’s waist while Maggie held her close against her chest.

“You wanna talk about it?” she asked, in that soft voice she reserved just for Alex.

She felt Alex shake her head against her collarbone. “Not really,” came her muffled reply.

“Okay,” said Maggie, rubbing her hand comfortingly along Alex’s arm.

She knew that Alex had a complicated relationship with her mother. From what she had told her, things had been improving between them, but there was still the occasional backslide. Eliza had always put too much pressure on Alex, and Maggie knew that her mother’s disappointment hit hard.

They sat in silence for a while, Maggie’s hand rubbing soothing circles on Alex’s back as she sniffled quietly against her shoulder. Eventually, Alex’s breathing evened out, and she released a heavy sigh.

When she finally spoke, her voice was rough. “It’s just…” She sighed again. “Sometimes she just makes me feel like...like such a failure.” Maggie took in a breath to respond but Alex continued. “It’s just like, nothing I do is...good enough,” she finished quietly, voice still muffled against Maggie’s shirt.

“Hey, look at me.”

Slowly, Alex raised her head to meet her eyes, and Maggie’s heart broke at the distraught expression on her face.

“Alex, you are...the most brilliant person I have ever met,” she told her, holding her gaze. “You are so smart, and so brave, and so strong. Seriously, you’re such a badass,” she added with a smile. 

Alex’s lips twitched upwards slightly.

“And I know that you’ve always had all this pressure on you to be perfect at everything.” She grabbed one of her hands, squeezing it. “But to me, you’re…”

Maggie took in a subtle deep breath. She had never been very good at talking about her feelings. She had been hurt too many times in her life, and opening herself up to someone only made her vulnerable to getting hurt again.

But Alex Danvers wasn’t just someone. Alex was special, and she deserved to know how Maggie felt about her. And right now, she needed her.

“You’re _more_ than good enough. You’re incredible. You’re...I’ve never met anyone like you, Alex, and I...I’ve never felt so strongly so fast about anyone before.” Alex’s eyes were wide, full of wonder and affection. “And, um...that’s kind of scary for me,” Maggie admitted with a nervous laugh, one hand coming up to her chin. “But I want you to know how important you are to me. And...even if you’re not perfect...I think you’re perfect for me.”

She finished with a hesitant smile, her eyes searching Alex’s. For a moment, Alex only looked at her, looking a little stunned. Then, suddenly, Alex’s arms were around her, her face pressed against her neck. Maggie held her tightly, both hands secure and steady against her back.

When Alex pulled back, she grinned at her, eyes shining. “You’re such a sap, Sawyer,” she said affectionately, reaching up and tucking her hair behind her ear.

Maggie shrugged, returning her grin. “Only for you.”

Alex giggled as she pulled her in for a kiss.

“I think you’re perfect for me too.”

  
  


**receiving gifts**

Alex hesitated outside the door to Maggie’s apartment, her hands toying with the handles of the gift bag. Maybe this was a stupid idea. 

(Kara had reassured her that it wasn’t, but the last time she had followed Kara’s advice for something like this was Valentine’s Day, and that hadn’t exactly turned out the way she had hoped.)

She glanced down at the bag in her hands once more. It was a light green color, the only shade of Maggie’s favorite color she could find in a gift aisle overflowing with Easter pastels. She smiled to herself, shaking her head slightly and wondering when she became the kind of person who cared about the color of a gift bag, before finally knocking on Maggie’s door. 

A moment later, the door swung open and she was met with Maggie’s dimpled smile.

“Hey, babe.”

“Hey,” Alex replied, grinning as she leaned down to meet her for a kiss.

She moved to pull back, but Maggie made a small noise of protest before drawing her in for another kiss. When they parted, Maggie gave her a smile that was halfway between cheeky and sheepish. “I wasn’t done yet.”

Alex nodded seriously. “My apologies. It won’t happen again,” she told her, her grave expression giving way to a playful grin.

Maggie laughed, grabbing her hand and dragging her into the apartment. “Come on. I picked up some more of that ice cream you like and I—oh, what’s this?” 

She stopped, gesturing to the bag in Alex’s other hand.

“Oh, um, it’s just…” Alex looked down again, running her thumb across the handle. “I got you something.”

Maggie looked surprised, but she smiled earnestly. “What’s the occasion?”

“Do I need an occasion to bring you presents?”

Maggie chuckled, shaking her head. “I guess not.”

“Good. So, um...” Alex chewed at her lip as she handed the gift to Maggie.

Gingerly, Maggie reached into the bag, and Alex could tell by the slight crinkle in her brow when her fingers made contact with the soft texture of the object inside it. She cocked her head to the side for a moment, her detective brain trying to deduce what it might be, before plunging past the tissue paper and pulling out—

“A shark!” she gasped in delight. 

Alex smiled nervously as Maggie met her eyes. There was warmth and tenderness in her gaze as she cradled the stuffed animal against her chest. “My favorite,” she added softly. “You remembered.”

“Of course,” said Alex, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “And, um, there’s something else.”

She reached into the back pocket of her jeans, retrieving a small white envelope. She offered it to Maggie, who made sure the plush shark was nestled safely in the crook of her elbow before reaching out to accept it.

“Alex, what…”

“Open it,” Alex encouraged, bouncing a little in nervous anticipation.

Maggie reached into the envelope and pulled out two tickets, her eyes scanning over them quickly before her entire face lit up. “We’re going to the aquarium?”

Alex nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, but it’s not just a regular trip. I, um, I saw an ad for this event where you can take a yoga class at the aquarium, and it made me think of you, because yoga, obviously, but then I looked into it some more and it turns out they do the class right in front of the shark tank, and I remembered you said how much you love sharks, so, you know…”

She trailed off, blushing at the bemused smile on Maggie’s face as she listened to her ramble.

“So what I’m hearing is, you’re willingly volunteering to take a yoga class with me.”

Alex rolled her eyes good-naturedly before a playful grin took over her face. “Just this once, Sawyer. I’m only in it for the sea otters.”

Maggie let out a short laugh before catching her lower lip between her teeth, her expression turning sincere. “But really, Alex. This is…it’s amazing, thank you so much.” Her words were simple, but Alex could hear the emotion in her voice, and she gazed up at her with such affection and tenderness that Alex thought her heart might burst.

Maggie carefully set everything down on the table beside her before moving closer and throwing her arms around her. Alex held her close for a long moment before pulling back just enough to press a slow, lingering kiss against her lips.

“You are the only person on earth I would do yoga for,” Alex told her, her tone serious as she looked into Maggie’s eyes. “Especially shark yoga,” she added before dropping a kiss to the tip of her nose.

Maggie’s responding smile was radiant.

“I...I love the shark,” she said quietly, reaching to pick it up again. She held it in her arms, the fingers of one hand stroking along the soft gray material.

Alex’s heart skipped a beat before thudding back to life in her chest. She cleared her throat. “It’s, um, the event isn’t until next month, so I just thought, maybe, you know, you should have your own shark. In the meantime, before you get to see some in real life.”

“Wow, you really have gone soft on me, Danvers,” said Maggie, not an ounce of teasing in her voice.

Alex smiled, drawing Maggie close to her again. “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  
  


**quality time**

Maggie sighed, leaning her elbow against her desk and propping her head up with her hand. She still had so much paperwork left to do, and there was no way she would get it all done in time to meet up with Alex.

She glanced at her watch and groaned quietly. They had both been so busy lately, and she had really been looking forward to seeing her girlfriend tonight. Reluctantly, she reached for her phone and typed out a message to Alex before getting back to work.

After ten minutes, she checked her phone. No new messages.

She pressed the call button, holding the phone between her shoulder and her ear while she grabbed another form from the pile. She tapped her pen against the desk as she listened, the frown on her face deepening with every ring. Eventually, she reached Alex’s voicemail.

“Hey, babe, I’m not sure if you saw my text, but I’m working late and I don’t think I’ll be able to make it tonight, I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you soon, okay?”

Twenty minutes later, Maggie had made a respectable dent in her stack of paperwork, but she still hadn’t heard anything back from Alex. It wasn’t like Alex to ignore her, but a small part of Maggie wondered if she hadn’t responded because she was upset.

She knew that Alex was different, but she couldn’t help but think about all the women before her, who had broken things off after one too many interrupted dates or late nights at the precinct.

Another ten minutes went by, and then another. Maggie tried to focus on her work but she was starting to worry about Alex. Just as she reached for her phone again, the screen lit up with an incoming call.

“Alex, hey,” she answered, trying not to sound as anxious as she felt. “Everything okay?”

“Hey, yes, everything’s okay. Sorry, I just got your message.”

Maggie felt relief wash over her.

“So, you said you’ll make it up to me soon?”

“Yeah, of course,” Maggie promised, nodding her head even though Alex couldn’t see her.

“How about right now?”

Maggie’s brow furrowed. “What—”

She cut herself off as Alex appeared in the doorway, a smile on her face and a large paper bag in her hand.

“What are you doing here?” she laughed, pushing herself up from her chair. 

She strode quickly across the office, smiling in disbelief at her girlfriend. “I thought you might be hungry,” said Alex, holding up the paper bag. “Plus, I wanted to see you,” she said, leaning down to kiss her. “I missed you,” she added softly, against her lips.

“I missed you too,” Maggie told her before pulling back with a wide smile. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Because I brought you Indian food?” Alex teased.

“Oh, yeah. And because I’ve been thinking about you all day and missing you like crazy, but, you know, mostly the Indian food.” 

They shared a smile as Maggie took the bag from Alex’s hands, placing it on her desk. Alex dragged a chair from the corner of the room behind the desk, scooting it next to Maggie’s chair.

“How’s the paperwork going?” Alex asked as she reached into the bag, pulling out styrofoam containers.

“It’s...going.” Maggie eyed the stack of remaining papers.

Alex gave her a sympathetic look. “Sounds like you need a break.”

“Definitely,” Maggie sighed as she accepted the container Alex handed to her and sank back into her chair.

“I just got your usual,” said Alex.

Maggie smiled. “Perfect, thank you.” 

They ate slowly, talking for long stretches between bites. Maggie felt the tension in her shoulders melting away as she laughed at another one of Alex’s stories. She felt relaxed and content and _happy_ —Alex always made her feel so happy. Words couldn’t describe how grateful she felt for this beautiful woman in front of her, talking animatedly and gesturing with her fork as she recounted an incident involving Winn and a decontamination shower.

Maggie shook her head, smiling fondly. 

Alex tilted her head, a habit she had picked up from her. “What?”

Maggie looked down at her lap before looking back up at Alex. “It’s nothing. Just...thank you.”

She hoped Alex would understand what she was thanking her for, beyond dinner and her company.

Alex’s nod and small, knowing smile told her that she understood perfectly.

  
  


**acts of service**

Alex was exhausted.

She hadn’t slept in days, working tirelessly in the lab analyzing an alien substance left behind on a particularly gruesome crime scene. She couldn’t wait to get back to her apartment, yet some part of her dreaded going home and facing all the tasks that awaited her there. All the chores to complete, the errands to run. Laundry. Grocery shopping. Everything that had piled up in her absence.

After the week she had had, it was the last thing she wanted to think about. Right now, all she wanted was to be curled up in bed, preferably with her girlfriend beside her.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned it on, wincing at the bright light of the screen. She fumbled with it for a moment before pressing the call button.

Maggie picked up on the second ring. “Hey, Danvers.”

“Hey,” said Alex, bringing her free hand up to rub at her bleary eyes. “I just finished up here and I’m going to head home. You want to come over later? Or now, and take a nap with me?” she added, only half joking.

“Yeah, of course, babe. Actually, I’m about to leave the precinct in a few minutes anyway, do you want me to just come pick you up and we can go home together?”

Alex hummed in contentment, letting her eyes fall shut as she leaned her head against the wall beside her. Hearing Maggie call her apartment _home_ never failed to make her heart flutter. It had only happened a handful of times, but it made her indescribably happy that Maggie felt at home with her.

“Alex? Is that okay?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes, yes, yeah, that sounds perfect. I, uh...probably shouldn’t operate a vehicle right now anyway,” she said, rubbing her eyes again. Her body felt completely drained of energy, and she could feel her brain struggling to keep her awake.

A barely audible chuckle filtered through the fuzzy phone speaker. “Okay, Danvers. I’ll be there soon.”

As soon as Maggie arrived, Alex all but collapsed into the passenger seat of her car, letting out a sleepy groan as she slumped against the headrest. Maggie leaned over and ran a comforting hand through Alex’s hair, gently tucking it behind her ear before her fingers settled lightly against her jaw. Alex melted into the touch instantly, her eyes fluttering closed.

“I am so fucking tired,” she murmured.

Maggie hummed sympathetically, brushing her thumb over Alex’s cheek. “I know. Let’s get you home.”

Alex pouted, her cheek squishing against Maggie’s hand. “Oh god, I have so much to do at home. I don’t wanna do any of it, just wanna sleep,” she mumbled, her words slurring together.

“You don’t have to think about all that right now, okay?” Maggie’s voice was soft and soothing. “You can worry about that later. Right now, we’re just gonna worry about getting you home and into bed.”

“And you’ll cuddle with me?”

“Of course,” Maggie said with an indulgent smile. She pressed a quick kiss to Alex’s forehead before leaning back into her seat.

While Maggie drove, Alex dozed off with her head resting against the window. When they arrived at her building, she wrestled briefly with her seatbelt before stumbling out of the car, eager to get inside and upstairs. 

Once they made it into her apartment, Alex headed immediately for the bedroom, Maggie following close behind.

After clumsily wiggling out of her jeans and changing into a t-shirt and sleep shorts, Alex collapsed into the bed with a groan of relief. Soon after, she felt the bed dip slightly as Maggie joined her. The familiar warmth of Maggie’s body pressed against her back, her arm wrapping securely around Alex’s torso. Alex let out a long, slow sigh as she slipped easily into the deepest sleep she’d had in weeks.

When she woke up, blinking against the sunlight, she realized she had slept all the way through to the next morning. Late morning, judging by the angle of the light coming through her window. There was a sizzling sound coming from the kitchen, and the sweet, buttery scent of pancakes wafted toward her.

She pushed herself up into a seated position, her eyes landing on Maggie. She had her back to her, standing in front of the stove in nothing but one of Alex’s old t-shirts and a striped pair of socks. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and Alex was overcome with the urge to press a kiss to the back of her neck.

She moved to get up, and the slight creak of the mattress caught Maggie’s attention. She turned around, smiling warmly. “Hey, you’re up!”

“Good morning.” Alex smiled back as she made her way down the steps and towards the kitchen. 

“I’ve got a couple pancakes left to flip, but breakfast will be ready soon.”

Alex sighed happily. “What did I do to deserve you?” she said dreamily as she rounded the corner of the island.

She pressed herself up against Maggie’s back, wrapping her arms around her waist and dropping her chin to rest on her shoulder.

“You’re gonna make me burn these,” Maggie warned teasingly as Alex turned her head to kiss the side of her neck.

“I’ll eat the burnt ones,” she murmured, not willing to let go just yet.

“I know you’re used to eating burnt food, Danvers, but that’s only supposed to happen when _you’re_ the one cooking.”

Alex pulled back in mock offense. “Hey!”

Maggie only shrugged, barely biting back a grin as she flipped her last pancake. “Breakfast is ready,” she said sweetly, looking up at Alex through fluttering eyelashes.

Alex swatted lightly at her backside before making her way to the table. 

When she turned around, something caught her attention. On the floor of her bedroom, nestled between the wall and Maggie’s side of the bed, was Alex’s laundry basket, filled with neatly folded clothes.

“Maggie?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you...did you do my laundry?” she asked, turning back to face her.

Maggie stopped in her tracks, a plate of pancakes in her hands. “Oh,” she said sheepishly. “Um, yeah, I hope that’s not...weird or anything. You were just so tired yesterday and you’ve been working so hard and you seemed overwhelmed, so I thought maybe I could help a little? If I overstepped, I totally understand.”

“No, no,” Alex rushed to reassure her, hurrying to her side. She took the plate from her hands and set it gently on the table. “I’m just...you really did that for me?”

Maggie ducked her head, tucking her hair behind her ear. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not,” Alex protested. “This is...no one’s ever treated me the way you do.” Maggie looked up into her eyes. “You...you listen, and you pay attention, and it feels like you always know just what I need, and it makes me feel so... _seen_. Like...like you really...care about me.”

Maggie nodded, a small smile on her face. “Of course I care about you, Alex.”

Alex blushed. “No, I know, it’s just...thank you.”

Maggie reached up and wrapped her arms around Alex’s neck, rising up on her toes as she held her tight. Alex splayed her hands across her back, feeling the soft, worn fabric of her own t-shirt.

She hadn’t wanted to say it, since they hadn’t said those words to each other just yet, but Maggie made her feel more than just seen and cared for. She made her feel _loved_. And Alex knew for certain in that moment, standing in their pajamas in the middle of the kitchen, that she was in love with Maggie Sawyer.

When Maggie finally pulled back, moving to set the table for breakfast, Alex stole another glance at the laundry basket and smiled to herself. Maybe Maggie was in love with her too.


End file.
